Buck Harvey: Instead of the panic button, Popovich hits refresh

Richard Jefferson, the only starter left standing, came into the locker room before the game in a playful mood. He kicked a large, plastic exercise ball across the room at a couple of teammates.

Be careful not to hurt anyone else, someone kidded him.

“No one’s hurt,” he said, smiling. “They’re all faking.”

Then he kicked the ball again.

Jefferson was joking, naturally, but there was some truth in what he said. According to those who know, all of the Spurs could have suited up Monday if this had been the playoffs.

But Gregg Popovich weighed how effective they would have been, and what they had just gone through, and he made the kind of decision he’s made before.

In doing so, he relieved stress instead of adding to it.

Those who follow the ways of Popovich aren’t surprised. Two years ago, he did the same in Denver, benching the Big Three and one veteran. The fourth Spur who sat then was Michael Finley; Monday it was Antonio McDyess.

There were differences between the games. The move two years ago came in early February, not late March. The Spurs weren’t worrying about the No. 1 seed then, and they were happier.

The Spurs were on a four-game winning streak in 2009, not a three-game losing streak.

But there are more similarities. Both came in back-to-back situations, and both games were competitive. The JV team two years ago was within four points late against a good Nuggets team before losing and Monday, the Spurs did better.

Then, they were close to becoming the second VCU that San Antonio had seen in two days. The Spurs led by eight points early in the fourth, and all they probably needed was for another shooter to join George Hill. Gary Neal, instead, had one of his worst nights, and the Spurs shot 24 percent from behind the 3-point line.

As for Jefferson: He kicked two free throws with less than four minutes left that would have extended the Spurs’ lead.

But Popovich wasn’t planning on a win as much as he was changing his team. The Spurs had come off a three-game road stretch that was as wearing as it was frustrating.

So Popovich could have pushed the sore veterans out of desperation, and they were available. Tim Duncan isn’t quite right, but he’s doing surprisingly well. McDyess wanted to play. Manu Ginobili walked through the halls without a limp. And then there’s Tony Parker.

When asked if he could have played if this were the playoffs, one close to the team laughed as if to say, of course.

At least the Spurs went to the trouble to issue injury reports Monday. Two years ago, Ginobili was the only one with a detectable injury. The others?

“Parker makes the All-Star team and becomes hard to deal with, so we’re going to sit him and teach him a lesson,” Popovich said with a straight face then. “Duncan says he wants to renegotiate his contract, so I said, ‘Sit, I’m not talking to you.’?”

Eventually, Popovich gave a more serious answer. “For a variety of reasons,” he said, “I don’t think Timmy and Tony should play tonight.”

The variety of reasons is often his and his alone. And this time, when he weighed the physical and the emotional, Popovich likely sensed this: With the Lakers edging closer in the standings, with his players feeling as if everything was slipping away, he needed to hit refresh.

Maybe it worked. After nearly shocking Portland, was anyone in his locker room thinking about the road trip anymore?

So now the starters get an extra day of rest, and everyone gets two more, before Boston comes to town. Then Popovich will see if all of them are ready.
bharvey@express-news.net